Pathways to Work

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the Pathways to Work programme has been; what the cost for each participant securing  (a) employment and  (b) sustained employment has been; and what the projected cost of the national roll out of the Pathways to Work programme is.

Caroline Flint: To April 2007, we have spent £271 million on our Pathways to Work programme, covering 40. per cent of the country. We estimate that the cost per job in Jobcentre Plus-led Pathways areas is around £2,500. Comparable information on cost per sustained job in Jobcentre Plus-led Pathways areas is not available. We are rolling out Pathways to Work nationally to the remaining 60 per cent. of the country, through the private and voluntary sector, with £531 million available for provider contracts over three years. In total we expect a nationally rolled out Pathways to Work programme to cost around £400 million per year.

Pensioners: Low Incomes

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what change there has been in levels of pensioner poverty measured by poverty levels before housing costs since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: Specific information regarding low income is available in 'Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2005-06 (Revised)', a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The threshold of below 60 per cent. contemporary median income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income.
	Between 1996-97 and 2005-06, the number of pensioners below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income before housing costs fell by 0.2 million, from 2.4 million to 2.2 million.
	As around two-thirds of pensioners own their own home outright, and so derive value from their housing without paying rent or mortgage interest, we consider that measuring pensioner incomes after housing costs better reflects pensioners' living standards relative to other groups. On an after housing costs basis the number of pensioners below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income fell by 1.1 million, from 2.9 million in 1996-97 to 1.8 million in 2005-06.
	The figures quoted are for the UK for 2005-06 and for Great Britain for 1996-97. Data are not available on a UK basis for 1996-97.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on problem gambling of  (a) slot machines and  (b) fixed odds betting terminals following the conclusion of the Gambling Commission's problem gambling prevalence study; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 showed that 14 per cent. of the adult population used a slot machine in the past year and of these 2.6 per cent. were problem gamblers. 3 per cent. of the adult population used a Fixed Odd Betting Terminal in the past year and of these 11.2 per cent. were problem gamblers. The overall prevalence of problem gambling in the past year remained unchanged since 1999 at 0.6 per cent. of the adult population.
	The Gambling Commission is planning a programme of secondary analysis of the prevalence survey data which will look specifically at some of the risk factors associated with problem gambling. The research will be commissioned shortly.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the evidential basis was for the decision to ban section  (a) 16 and  (b) 21 machines from adult gaming centres and bingo halls; how many section (i) 16 and (ii) 21 machines were in use in the UK in August 2007; and how many (A) bingo clubs and (B) betting offices were licensed in September (1) 2005, (2) 2006 and (3) 2007.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government never accepted that the legal provisions concerning amusements with prizes and low stake and prize gaming (in section 16 of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 and section 21 of the Gaming Act 1968 respectively), were intended by Parliament to authorise gaming by machine.
	Prior to 1 September 2007, where section 16 or 21 equipment operated, it was offered outside the 1968 Act regime which regulated gaming machines, and with greater stake and prize limits than was otherwise permitted for gaming machines in arcades and bingo halls in Great Britain.
	The Department has consistently made its position clear to the industry, both during the passage of the Gambling Bill and during the subsequent implementation of the Gambling Act. Under the Gambling Act, all machines purportedly offered under either section 16 or section 21 are classified as gaming machines. They are subject to the same limits on stakes and prizes, numbers, and locations as other gaming machines, there are no special categories created for such equipment, and they do not attract grandfather rights. This position has existed since the Gambling Act came into force on 1 September 2007.
	The Gambling Commission's annual report for 2006-07 states that the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (BACTA) estimated that there were 17,500 section 16/21 machines in 2006, the latest figures available.
	Information about the number of bingo halls operating in March of each of the last three years is available in the Gambling Commission's annual reports which can be accessed at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk. In March 2005 there were 678 such bingo halls, in March 2006, 657 and in March 2007, 634.
	Under the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, betting offices had to apply for a bookmaker's permit from a magistrates court. Under the Gambling Act, a betting office needs to apply for a general betting operating licence from the Gambling Commission.
	The latest available figures, published by DCMS in 2003, indicated that there were 8,800 betting office licences in Great Britain. Now that the Gambling Act is in force, responsibility for collating figures on betting office licences has transferred to the Gambling Commission.

Museums and Galleries: Graduates

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many placements have been granted under the Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries programme; and which institutions have provided these placements;
	(2)  what  (a) financial and  (b) administrative support his Department and its agencies provided for the Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries programme in each of the last four years.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 November 2007
	Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries (YGMG) is an internship programme run by the British Museum for gifted and talented students from non-traditional and diverse backgrounds aged 16 to 18 years old. 30 young people participated in the programme in 2005, 25 young people participated in 2006 and 40 young people participated in 2007. Six institutions are involved: the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Portrait Gallery, the Petrie Museum, Tate and Royal Air Force Museum. The Natural History Museum has also recently joined the programme for 2008.
	My Department provided £7,000 towards the publication of a research report in 2005. No other financial or administrative support has been provided to the Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries programme.

Olympic Games 2012: Scholarships

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many 2012 scholarships were awarded in each of the last three years; and what the average award value has been.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The number of TASS 2012 Scholarships awarded in each of the last three academic years and the average award value is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of awards  Award value 
			 2004-05 0 — 
			
			 2005-06 118 57 awards at £10,000 
			   61 awards at £5,000 
			
			 2006-07 114 86 awards at £10,000 
			   10 awards at £5,000 
			   18 awards ranging from £1,000 to £2,500

UK Sport: Finance

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 18 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1217W, on UK Sport's overseas conferences, what UK Sport's involvement is with the Legacy Lives 2008 Conference taking place in Barbados in January 2008; and what the cost to the public purse of its involvement is estimated to be.

Gerry Sutcliffe: UK Sport is an International Partner of the Legacy Lives 2008 Conference. As the UK agency for World Class Events UK Sport is providing £30,000 to support the 2008 Conference.
	Supporting Legacy Lives is part of an ongoing strategy to promote greater knowledge and debate about the legacy benefits that arise from public investment in major sporting events.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics 
	(1)  whether  (a) an up-to-date budget,  (b) the monthly cashflow and  (c) a breakdown of contingency funds allocated to specific projects is made available to members of the Olympic Board at each board meeting;
	(2)  what budgetary information is brought before every meeting of the Olympic Board.

Tessa Jowell: holding answers 12 and 13 November 2007
	The Olympic Board has received monthly updates on  (a) the budget and  (b) cashflow of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), and will continue to do so.
	Contingency  (c) is a matter for the Ministerial Funders Group. However, the Olympic Board has been given details of the £360 million contingency allocated to the ODA in June 2007.
	The Olympic Board will receive further details of the ODA's budget and scope, within the £9.3 billion funding package, once it has been considered by the Ministerial Funders Group. I expect to provide Parliament with a more detailed breakdown of the budget and scope early in the new year.

Suicide

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of deaths in  (a) the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St. Ives,  (b) Cornwall and  (c) the UK were suicides in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 14 November 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what percentage of deaths in  (a) the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St. Ives,  (b) Cornwall and  (c) the UK were suicides in each of the last 10 years. (163279)
	The table below provides the percentage of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, in  (a) St. Ives parliamentary constituency,  (b) Cornwall county and  (c) the UK, for 1997 to 2006 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death( 1) , (a) St. Ives parliamentary constituency, (b) Cornwall county, and (c) the UK( 2,3) , 1997-2006( 4) 
			  Percentage 
			   St. Ives  Cornwall  UK 
			 1997 1 1 1 
			 1998 1 1 1 
			 1999 1 1 1 
			 2000 0 1 1 
			 2001 1 1 1 
			 2002 1 1 1 
			 2003 1 1 1 
			 2004 2 1 1 
			 2005 2 1 1 
			 2006 1 1 1 
			 (1 )Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950-E959 and E980-E989. excluding E988.8 for the years 1997 to 2000 for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for the years 1997 to 1999 for Scotland, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the Coroner's verdict was pending) for the years 2001 to 2006 for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for the years 2000 to 2006 for Scotland. Verdicts of suicide and undetermined intent are not returned for children under the age of 15 years. (2 )Based on boundaries as of 2007. (3) Figures for the UK include data provided by the Registrars General for Scotland and Northern Ireland. (4 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Ferries: Lymington

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps will be taken by the Marine Consents and Environment Unit to safeguard the environment when it determines the application by Wightlink to modify existing fenders, ramps and linkspan bridges on the Lymington to Yarmouth route;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the advice from Natural England that proposals for new ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth constitute a project for the purposes of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 85/337.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer  12 November  2007
	The licensing duties of the Marine Consents and Environment Unit are now exercised by the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) on behalf of the Secretary of State. Applications have been made to the MFA by Wightlink Ltd under both the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA) and the Coast Protection Act 1949 (CPA) to undertake works to modify the piles, fendering and access links concerned with the operation of their ferry service between Lymington and Yarmouth.
	In determining applications for marine works, the MFA undertakes a rigorous scientific assessment of the potential environmental risks including, where such works lie in or close to a Natura 2000 site, whether they are likely to have a significant effect on the integrity of the conservation assets of that site. Natural England (NE) has advised that the works for which these applications have been made constitute part of a 'plan or project' in the context of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c) Regulations 1994 and, having regard to the potential impact of the operation of larger replacement ferry vessels, it is their view that a formal 'Appropriate Assessment' (AA) should be carried out for the scheme.
	Wightlink Ltd. has questioned NE's position and the MFA is currently considering this advice in consultation with a range of stakeholders. This includes other competent authorities that may be required to undertake an AA in exercising their statutory powers in respect of the project.

A14: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions have been made by the Highways Agency about the number of new dwellings which would need to be built in Kettering to trigger the introduction of demand management measures for access to and from the A14 around Kettering.

Tom Harris: holding answer 13 November 2007
	The Highways Agency is investigating possible low-cost improvements to the A14 around Kettering with a view to assisting the delivery of growth in the short/medium term. This includes demand management measures which will complement Northamptonshire's Transport Strategy for Growth. This study is due to report early next year when we will be able to relate its findings to housing numbers.

Members: Correspondence

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to reply to the letter of 26 September from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I replied to the hon. Member's letter dated 26 September on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport on 18 October.

Obesity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response she has made to the Foresight report on Tackling Obesities: Future Choices in relation to the role of transport policy in the development of obesogenic environments.

Rosie Winterton: Officials from the Department for Transport were involved in development of the Foresight report. We agree that a built environment which encourages active travel is important.
	The primary responsibility for ensuring local networks are conducive to walking and cycling rests with local authorities. The Department provides guidance and advice such as 'Manual for Streets', which we published in March this year. Our aim, through the manual, is to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles in residential street design by assigning a higher priority to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. The manual is aimed at all practitioners involved in the planning, design, approval and provision of residential streets.
	We recognise the wider benefits including the health benefits of promoting active travel. We will continue to work with other Government Departments such as Department for Children, Schools and Families where we are working together to promote sustainable travel to school and with local authorities to ensure that the environment is structured to encourage active travel.

Railway Stations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new railway station or halt openings or re-openings have occurred in the last 10 years; what the date of each was; and what the estimated population hinterland was in each case.

Tom Harris: Stations opened or reopened on the national rail network since November 1997 are listed in the table. The population hinterland of each is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Station  Opened 
			 Euxton Balshaw Lane 15 December 1997 
			 Brunswick 9 March 1998 
			 Dalgety Bay 28 March 1998 
			 Drumfrochar 24 May 1998 
			 Whitwell 24 May 1998 
			 Creswell 24 May 1998 
			 Langwith—Whaley Thorns 24 May 1998 
			 Shirebrook 24 May 1998 
			 Conway Park 22 June 1998 
			 Canning Town(1) 14 May 1999 
			 West Ham(2) 14 May 1999 
			 West Brompton 30 May 1999 
			 West Ham(3) 30 May 1999 
			 Norwich Parkway 30 May 1999 
			 Luton Airport Parkway 21 November 1999 
			 Dunfermline Queen Margaret 25 January 2000 
			 Brighouse(4) 29 May 2000 
			 Wavertree Technology Park 13 August 2000 
			 Lea Green 17 September 2000 
			 Warwick Parkway 8 October 2000 
			 Howwood 12 March 2001 
			 Beauly(4) 15 April 2002 
			 Newcraighall 2 June 2002 
			 Brunstane 2 June 2002 
			 Edinburgh Park 18 December 2003 
			 Braintree Freeport 10 December 2003 
			 Glasshoughton 12 December 2004 
			 Chandlers Ford(4) 12 December 2004 
			 Gartcosh 9 May 2005 
			 Rhoose—Cardiff airport 10 June 2005 
			 Llantwit Major 10 June 2005 
			 Kelvindale 26 September 2005 
			 Larkhall 11 December 2005 
			 Merryton 11 December 2005 
			 Chatelherault 11 December 2005 
			 Liverpool South Parkway 11 June 2006 
			 St. Pancras International 14 November 2007 
			 (1) Resited due to Jubilee Line works (2) North London Line platforms—resited due to Jubilee Line works (3) Southend Line platforms (4) Reopened

Railway Stations: Shipley

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been allocated to accessibility improvements at Shipley railway station under the Access for All programme.

Tom Harris: Shipley station has been targeted to receive an estimated £3,054,000 investment under the Access for All Main Programme.
	This will see the installation a new footbridge and lifts to platforms 3 and 4, as well as new lifts to the existing footbridge connecting platforms 1 and 2; thus creating an accessible route into the station and between platforms. These works are currently targeted for completion during spring 2008.

Departmental Public Consultations

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many citizens' juries were arranged for his Department for each year between 1997 and June 2007; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens' jury; and what the cost was of each.

Stephen Timms: The narrowing of the scope of the right hon. Member's previous question by removing the reference to agencies does not alter my reply to the right hon. Member of 30 October 2007,  Official Report column 1323W.

EC Reform: Treaties

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of the implementation of the EU Reform Treaty on the control of UK oil reserves.

Malcolm Wicks: Article 176a of the Treaty does provide for the EU to help manage the functioning of integrated European energy markets, but does not seek to move control of any nation's energy resources to the EU. A key passage included in Article 176 reads:
	"Such measures shall not affect a member state's right to determine the conditions for exploiting its energy resources, its choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply..."
	It is clear from this that the UK and other EU nations will continue to have control over their indigenous energy resources.

Fuel Poverty: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what percentage of pensioner householders were defined as being in fuel poverty in Stroud constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2003 the Fuel Poverty Indicator dataset (available online at http://www.fuelpoverty indicator.org.uk/) estimates that there are approximately 2,700 fuel poor households in Stroud. There is no split available for whether these are pensioner households or not.
	Nationally 47 per cent. of households that are fuel poor have a household compositions of "couple, no dependent child(ren), aged 60 or over" or "one person aged 60 or over". These data are available from the "Detailed Breakdown of Fuel Poverty in England in 2004; Version 1, April 2004" available online at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file29687.pdf
	There are no timeline data available.

Minimum Wage: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people in Scotland earn the minimum wage; what percentage of the population in work this figure represents; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings estimates that in April 2007 there were around 70,000 employee jobs in Scotland paid a rate within 5p of the relevant national minimum wage rate. In April 2007 this was £5.35 for those aged 22 or over, £4.45 for those aged 18 to 21 and £3.30 for those aged 16 to 17. This represents approximately 3 per cent. of Scottish employee jobs.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on proposals by the European Union to cut the cost of mobile telephone calls throughout the EU.

Stephen Timms: The aim of the UK Government in negotiating the Mobile Roaming Regulation was to strike a balance, introducing changes that would benefit all mobile phone users, without distorting the market or stifling competition and innovation in the mobile phone industry.
	Our view was that roaming prices were indeed higher than could be justified, and the question was how—not whether—to address the problem. But we had severe misgivings about the nature of the solution initially proposed by the Commission, which would have had a serious effect on competition (particularly on smaller players) and could have led to increases in domestic call rates.
	We worked closely with business and our European partners to find a solution which was good for consumers and which supported a viable and competitive market. We welcome that result. UK consumers are already reaping the benefits.

Nuclear Power Stations: Design

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether any proposed designs for new nuclear power stations have been received by his Department for generic design assessment.

Malcolm Wicks: The consultation document "The Future of Nuclear Power", published on 23 May 2007 invited vendors of nuclear reactor designs who are interested in having their designs assessed through the Generic Design Assessment process to write to the regulators' Joint Programme Office by 22 June 2007.
	By this date, the regulators had received four applications for Generic Design Assessment.
	Following assessment of the applications by the Government, all four were found to have met the criteria set down in the consultation document and as a result, the regulators (the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency) agreed to assess all four designs in the initial stage of the generic design assessment process. A press notice setting out the outcome of the Government's assessment of applications was released on 5 July 2007. This, along with the letters of application sent by the vendors, and their letters of endorsement from operators, can be found on the BERR website.

Nuclear Power: Public Participation

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when his Department plans to publish a formal response to the recently concluded consultation on the future of nuclear power; and if his Department will publish a list of all respondents to the consultation.

Malcolm Wicks: I plan to publish a response to the consultation around the turn of the year. I will also publish on my Department's website all responses to the consultation, except where the respondents asked for their responses to remain confidential.

Regional Development Agencies: Finance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total budget is for each regional development agency for  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09,  (c) 2009-10 and  (d) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The regional development agencies' allocated budgets for 2007-08 are set out in the following table. The Department has also given them indicative budgets for 2008-09 to 2010-11 to enable them to produce corporate plans for approval in the new year.
	
		
			  £000 
			  RDA  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Advantage West Midlands 290,960 279,064 275,378 268,914 
			 East of England Development Agency 136,557 131,803 130,228 127,184 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 175,536 159,709 157,668 153,972 
			 London Development Agency 374,149 389,674 384,626 375,604 
			 North West Development Agency 395,003 391,611 386,442 377,371 
			 One NorthEast 277,050 247,696 244,361 238,619 
			 South East England Development Agency 162,887 159,707 157,832 154,145 
			 South West of England Regional Development Agency 159,339 156,981 155,053 151,425 
			 Yorkshire Forward 304,316 303,049 299,048 292,028

Renewable Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent estimate he has made of the share of the UK's primary energy consumption generated from renewable sources using the European Commission's method of calculation; and on what assumptions this estimate is based.

Malcolm Wicks: According to statistics published by Eurostat in September 2007, gross inland consumption of energy in the United Kingdom in 2005 was 232,259 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent of which renewables accounted for 4,055 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent or 1.7 per cent. The corresponding percentage for 2004 was 1.5. The 2005 percentage for the 27 member states of the EU taken together was 6.7. The definitions used for these "primary fuel input" percentages are as follows.
	"Gross inland consumption of energy is a measure of the energy inputs to the economy, calculated as total indigenous energy production plus energy imports minus energy exports, plus net withdrawals from existing stocks. Renewable energy is similarly measured in primary fuel input terms."
	Eurostat have also published (in October 2007) statistics that show the percentage of final energy consumption covered by renewable energy. For the UK in 2005 this was 1.3 per cent. up from 1.2 per cent. in 2004 and compares with 8.3 per cent. for the 27 member states of the EU taken together in 2005. The definitions used for these final consumption percentages are as follows.
	"The share of final energy consumption attributable to renewables is the sum of the following three elements:
	the final consumption of renewables for heat production (including the final consumption of district heat from renewables)
	gross electricity generation from renewables
	liquid biofuels used for transport
	divided by the final energy consumption (industry, transport and other sectors) of all energy sources, including consumption by the energy industries and distribution losses for energy and heat production."

Small Businesses: Copeland

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small businesses within Copeland have ceased trading within  (a) 12 months and  (b) three years of starting to trade in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Data on the number of all small businesses that cease trading are not available.
	However, data on the number of businesses of all sizes that cease trading one and three years after registering for VAT are available. Due to low absolute numbers of businesses de-registering for VAT for Copeland local authority, the data are combined with those for Barrow-in-Furness local authority to give a more robust estimate.
	The following tables show the number of businesses that de-registered for VAT within one and three years of registration, for Copeland local authority and Barrow-in-Furness local authority combined, by year of registration for the latest five years worth of available data.
	
		
			  The number of VAT de-registrations within one of registration, and the one year de-registration rate by registration year, in Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland combined 
			   Year of registration 
			   2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Number de-registering for VAT within one year 16 7 7 13 11 
			 De-registration rate(1) within one year (percentage) 9 5 4 4 5 
			 (1) Calculated as the proportion of those registering that de-register within the period.  Source: BERR analysis of VAT and survival rate data 
		
	
	
		
			  The number of VAT de-registrations within three years of registration, and the three year de-registration rate by registration year, in Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland combined 
			   Year of registration 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002 
			 Number de-registering for VAT within three years 76 58 44 32 34 
			 De-registration rate(1) within three years (percentage) 36 29 25 22 19 
			 (1) Calculated as the proportion of those registering that de-register within the period.  Source: BERR analysis of VAT and survival rate data 
		
	
	VAT registration and de-registration data for 2006 will be published on 14( )November 2007. Survival data will not be produced again until 2009.
	Since the registration rate exceeded the de-registration rate throughout the period, the stock of VAT registered businesses in Copeland local authority rose by 9 per cent. between the start of 2001 and the start of 2006 and the stock for Copeland and Barrow-in-Furness combined rose by 7 per cent.
	VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £60,000 at the start of 2006. Similarly, businesses that de-register may not have closed. Only 1.9 million out of 4.5 million UK enterprises (41 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2006.

Armed Forces: Shipping

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the effectiveness and efficiency of  (a) Hunt Class and  (b) River Class patrol vessels are measured; what the principal differences are between them; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The River and Hunt Class vessels provide different capabilities. The River Class are Offshore Patrol Vessels that are leased by the Department, primarily to meet its remit to DEFRA for providing Fishery Protection in UK waters. The Hunt Class, however, are Mine Counter-measure Vessels that, prior to the introduction of the River Class, were used to meet the Department's requirement to carry out Fishery Protection duties.
	The principal differences between the two Classes are listed in the table as follows:
	
		
			   River Class  Hunt Class 
			 In Service Date 2003 1980-1989 
			 Number in Class 3 11 
			 Number in-service 3 11 
			 Primary role Offshore Patrol Vessel Mine Countermeasure Vessel 
			 Length 79.5m 60m 
			 Beam 13.6m 10.5m 
			 Draught 3.8m 2.2m 
			 Tonnes 1,677 750 
			 Complement 30 (plus boarding party) 45 
			 Weapons systems 1 x 20mm gun 1 x 30mm gun Outfit DLK decoy systems 
			 Mine Warfare systems None Remote controlled submersibles and mine clearance divers

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of uparmouring one US Force Protection Inc's Cougar vehicle to create the finished Mastiff vehicle.

Bob Ainsworth: The full integration cost of converting a Cougar vehicle into a Mastiff is £308,000 excluding VAT. This includes armour, electronic counter measures, communications system, weapons station, miscellaneous internal fitments and stowage, situational awareness system and design and developments costs. The cost of the armour element, which includes procurement of materials, machining and fitting, is £70,000, excluding VAT.

Departmental Expenditure

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his Department's budget for conferences is in 2007-08;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on hiring external venues for conferences in 2006-07.

Derek Twigg: The MOD does not have a central budget for conferences. The cost of conferences, including the hiring of external venues, is borne by individual units; therefore the information required could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Academies: Fire Prevention

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to publish the Building Bulletin 100—document on sprinklers in schools.

Jim Knight: Building Bulletin 100—Design for fire safety in schools was published on 9 November 2007.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the expenditure on the Building Schools for the Future programme was (a) in each local authority area and (b) on each school covered by the project in 2006-07; what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2007-08 to 2021-22; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Details of actual capital expenditure at local authority and school level are not held centrally by the Department. However, the following table shows the capital grant payments, and supported borrowing allocations, that were made in 2006-07 to local authorities, together with the current forecasts for 2007-08 (these phased payments do not represent the full allocations):
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			   Capital grant  Supported borrowing  Capital grant (forecasts)  Supported borrowing 
			  Wave 1 
			 Bradford 2.587 — 2.847 — 
			 Bristol 0.883 — 5.655 — 
			 Greenwich 8.672 — 20.655 — 
			 Knowsley 0.050 — 0.036 — 
			 Lancashire 0.135 — 0.585 — 
			 Leeds 0.050 — 29.903 — 
			 Leicester 6.180 — 38.000 — 
			 Lewisham 0.460 — 6.084 — 
			 Manchester 34.640 — 92.810 — 
			 Newcastle 0.669 — 26.761 — 
			 Sheffield 4.607 — 13.761 — 
			 Solihull 0.400 — 15.150 — 
			 South Tyneside and Gateshead 0.100 — 0.730 — 
			 Stoke 12.400 — 11.545 — 
			 Sunderland 1.300 — 7.805 — 
			 Waltham Forest 4.327 — 22.996 — 
			  
			  Wave 2 
			 Birmingham A 0.050 13.531 — — 
			 Hackney 0.050 9.512 5.768 — 
			 Haringey (wave 2 and 4) 11.653 13.675 20.024 — 
			 Islington 0.050 11.383 9.331 — 
			 Kingston on Hull — 20.713 — — 
			 Lambeth 6.117 7.022 34.207 — 
			 Liverpool 0.427 14.017 4.757 — 
			 Middlesbrough 0.050 7.982 0.050 — 
			 Nottingham 0.050 8.149 — — 
			 Tower Hamlets 0.050 3.300 0.050 — 
			  
			  Wave 3 
			 Barnsley — — 0.100 19.224 
			 Bradford — — — 11.206 
			 Durham (east) 0.050 — 8.834 10.782 
			 Derbyshire (NE) — — — 7.389 
			 Kent — — 10.646 11.919 
			 Lewisham — — 0.145 6.785 
			 Luton — — — 9.324 
			 N Lincolnshire — — — 6.785 
			 Salford — — 0.050 11.309 
			 Sandwell 0.050 — 0.050 13.289 
			 Southwark 10.013 — — 2.298 
			 Tameside 0.050 — 0.050 7.555 
			 Westminster 0.100 — 2.787 9.954 
			  
			  Wave 4 
			 Coventry — — 0.050 — 
			 Manchester — — 2.130 — 
			 Rochdale — — 0.050 — 
			 Sheffield — — 0.050 — 
			 Telford and Wrekin — — 0.050 — 
		
	
	For PFI projects, full detail of phasing of capital investment is not held centrally. The following table provides details of indicative allocations of PFI credits for wave 1 to 3 projects, with work continuing for waves 4 to 6:
	
		
			   £ million 
			  BSF waves 1 to 3  PFI credits 
			  Wave 1  
			 Bradford 116.9 
			 Bristol 157.2 
			 Greenwich 183.5 
			 Knowsley 250.0 
			 Lancashire 246.4 
			 Leeds 185.7 
			 Leicester 151.3 
			 Lewisham (wave 1 and 3) 221.3 
			 Newcastle 81.4 
			 Newham 65.5 
			 Sheffield 89.0 
			 Solihull 86.8 
			 S Tyneside & Gateshead 112.6 
			 Waltham Forest 53.9 
			   
			  Wave 2  
			 Birmingham 92.4 
			 Islington 103.9 
			 Kingston on Hull 158.8 
			 Nottingham 66.6 
			   
			  Wave 3  
			 Barnsley 324.3 
			 Durham (east) 79.5 
			 Derbyshire (NE) 55.4 
			 Kent 98.8 
			 Luton 32.0 
			 Salford 134.0 
			 Sandwell 59.8 
			 Southwark 83.0 
			 Tameside 119.0 
		
	
	The Department, together with Partnerships for Schools, will be reviewing the phasing of grant payments for 2008-09, and for later years, to ensure that local authorities receive their allocations in time to deliver their projects successfully. Over the CSR07 period capital support of £9.3 billion will be available to deliver the BSF and academies programmes. Resources beyond that will be subject to future spending decisions.

Departmental Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his Department's new progress targets; what consultation has been carried out in relation to these targets; and when they will be implemented.

Jim Knight: The Government's aim is a society where all children and young people achieve their full potential. There have been major improvements in educational standards at all Key Stages over the last 10 years. However, the improvements of the past decade have not been uniform for all groups of children and young people. We expect the ambitious new progression targets, set out in the recent Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), to be a major factor in helping all pupils—regardless of their background and circumstances—to realise their potential in English and mathematics in particular.
	
		
			  Indicator: Proportion of pupils progressing by 2 levels in English and maths at each of Key Stages 2, 3 and 4  National target: Increase the proportion of pupils progressing by 2 levels in English and maths at each of Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 by 2011 
			   English 2006 baseline (%)  English 2011 target (%)  English percentage points increase  Mathematics 2006 baseline (%)  Mathematics 2011 target (%)  Mathematics percentage points increase 
			 Key Stage 2 81 90 +9 73 84 +11 
			 Key Stage 3 30 46 +16 62 74 +12 
			 Key Stage 4 56 71 +15 27 40 +13 
		
	
	The Delivery Agreements, published as part of the CSR, and which set out how the Government expects to make its public service agreements a reality, were the subject of wide discussion with a variety of stakeholders. In addition, the proposal to test ways of measuring individual pupil progress was set out in our 2005 White Paper "Higher Standards—Better Schools for All", and in the more recent consultation document on "Making Good Progress".
	The first progression targets will be set by all schools in autumn 2007 for outcomes in tests and examinations in 2009.

Education: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities were deemed to be underperforming on educational services as at 30 June 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Ofsted assess the performance of each local authority's children's services each year and award a performance rating. Their latest such ratings, published in the Audit Commission's February 2007 report on comprehensive performance assessment of councils in 2006, assessed children's services in Bristol, Sandwell and Stoke-on-Trent to be inadequate. No separate rating was awarded for educational services. The Government consider on a case by case basis what steps are necessary to improve inadequate services.

Free School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the merits and the costs of providing free school meals;
	(2)  which schools in  (a) Somerset,  (b) Surrey and  (c) Derbyshire have free school meal eligibility of above 20 per cent.; what their level of funding per pupil is in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Free school meals provide additional help to children in non-working families, that is, those where the adults do not work, or work for less than 16 hours per week. The Government believe that these families are most in need and should therefore receive the additional help that free school meals provide. We have no plans to change the criteria for free school meals or extend them to all pupils.
	Information on the schools in  (a) Somerset,  (b) Surrey and  (c) Derbyshire that have free school meal eligibility of above 20 per cent. is provided in the attached table. The Department does not collect information on the level of funding per pupil in individual local authority areas in relation to free school meals.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units: schools in Surrey with more than 20 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, as at January 2007 
			  URN  LEA number  Estab number  School name  School type 
			 130374 936 7068 Thornchace School Community Special 
			 124916 936 1100 Fordway Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 124917 936 1101 Phoenix Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125464 936 7027 Starhurst School Community Special 
			 125116 936 2940 Ash Grange Primary School Community 
			 132758 936 2963 Guildford Grove Primary School Community 
			 125127 936 2951 Epsom Downs Primary School and Children's Centre Community 
			 125480 936 7065 Philip Southcote School Community Special 
			 125115 936 2939 Weyfield Primary School Community 
			 125466 936 7035 Wey House School Community Special 
			 134557 936 3935 Walton Oak Primary School Community 
			 124919 936 1103 Sidlow Bridge Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125002 936 2278 St. John's Primary School Community 
			 125107 936 2928 Hythe Primary School Community 
			 125461 936 7023 The Park School Community Special 
			 125185 936 3349 St. Mark's CofE Primary School Voluntary aided 
			 125018 936 2333 Cordwalles Junior School Community 
			 125243 936 3925 Bramley CofE Aided Infant School Voluntary aided 
			 125472 936 7051 Brooklands School Community Special 
			 125006 936 2292 Lorraine School Community 
			 124923 936 1107 Guildford Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125468 936 7043 Walton Leigh School Community Special 
			 125105 936 2926 Broadmere Community Primary School Community 
			 125117 936 2941 Westfield Primary School Community 
			 131647 936 1119 South East Surrey Pupil Referral Unit Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125456 936 7011 St. Joseph's School Non-Maintained Special 
			 125162 936 2962 St. John's CE Community Primary School Voluntary controlled 
			 125125 936 2949 Chandlers Field Primary School Community 
			 135009 936 3940 Leatherhead Trinity School Voluntary controlled 
			 125064 936 2444 Pine Ridge Infant and Nursery School Community 
			 125126 936 2950 Town Farm Primary School Community 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained  p rimary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units: schools in Somerset with more than 20 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, as at January 2007 
			  URN  LEA number  Estab number  School name  School type  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 134518 933 1106 Yeovil Centre Pupil Referral Unit 66.7 
			 123707 933 2215 Halcon Community Primary School Community 54.5 
			 135094 933 1117 Taunton KS2/3 Centre (Rollercoaster Centre) Pupil Referral Unit 50.0 
			 123709 933 2219 Priorswood Primary School Community 42.2 
			 123939 933 7006 The Priory School Community Special 37.3 
			 134519 933 1107 Bridgwater Key Stage 3 Centre Pupil Referral Unit 36.4 
			 123938 933 7003 Elmwood School Community Special 36.2 
			 123731 933 2323 Sedgemoor Manor Infants' School Community 35.6 
			 123739 933 2332 Holway Park Community Primary School Community 34.6 
			 123733 933 2325 Westover Green Community School Community 34.2 
			 123824 933 3288 Archbishop Cranmer Church of England Community Primary School Voluntary controlled 34.2 
			 123680 933 2156 Hamp Community Junior School Community 29.0 
			 123781 933 3123 St Peter's Church of England First School Voluntary controlled 27.0 
			 123940 933 7007 Fairmead School Community Special 26.2 
			 123860 933 3490 Knights Templar Church of England/Methodist Community School Voluntary aided 25.6 
			 123900 933 5201 St. John's Church of England Primary School Voluntary aided 24.5 
			 123732 933 2324 Sedgemoor Manor Community Junior School Community 24.2 
			 123942 933 7013 Penrose School Community Special 24.1 
			 123681 933 2157 Hamp Nursery and Infants' School Community 23.9 
			 123943 933 7014 Selworthy Special School Community Special 23.4 
			 123718 933 2300 Barwick and Stoford Community Primary School Community 22.7 
			 123686 933 2170 Beechfield Infant School Community 22.3 
			 123729 933 2319 Grass Royal Junior School Community 22.3 
			 123768 933 3079 St. Michael's Church of England First School Voluntary controlled 20.9 
			  Source:  School Census 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units: schools in Derbyshire with more than 20 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, as at January 2007 
			  URN  LEA number  Estab number  School name  School type  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 131322 830 7000 Holly House Special School Community Special 62.5 
			 133690 830 1110 Newhall PRU Pupil Referral Unit 60.0 
			 133947 830 1111 Creswell Pupil Referral Unit Pupil Referral Unit 52.9 
			 112693 830 2354 Gamesley Community Primary School Community 51.5 
			 112569 830 2138 Cotmanhay Junior School Community 45.3 
			 113033 830 7009 The Delves School Community Special 44.0 
			 112626 830 2233 Barrow Hill Primary School Community 42.3 
			 133762 830 1109 Breadsall Support Centre Pupil Referral Unit 41.2 
			 112661 830 2286 Spire Junior School Community 40.1 
			 112531 830 2077 Danesmoor Infant School Community 39.6 
			 112548 830 2104 Creswell Junior School Community 39.0 
			 113031 830 7005 Brackenfield Special School Community Special 38.5 
			 113036 830 7012 Stubbin Wood School Community Special 38.2 
			 112495 830 2004 Ironvitle and Codnor Park Primary School Community 37.7 
			 113032 830 7006 Ashgate Croft School Community Special 36.6 
			 112793 830 2630 Whaley Thorns Primary School Community 34.2 
			 112609 830 2194 Longwood Community Infant School Community 33.3 
			 113040 830 7018 Alfreton Park Community Special School Community Special 32.2 
			 113041 830 7019 Stanton Vale School Community Special 31.6 
			 112682 830 2329 The Park Junior School Community 31.5 
			 112627 830 2239 Staveley Junior School Community 31.1 
			 112564 830 2127 Heath Primary School Community 30.6 
			 112529 830 2075 Clay Cross Junior School Community 30.5 
			 112619 830 2219 Brookfield Primary School Community 30.2 
			 112628 830 2240 Poolsbrook Primary School Community 30.1 
			 112616 830 2212 Langwith Bassett Primary School Community 29.7 
			 112601 830 2183 North Wingfield Junior School Community 29.6 
			 112570 830 2139 Cotmanhay Infant School Community 29.3 
			 131323 830 7001 Holbrook Centre for Autism Community Special 29.3 
			 112498 830 2008 Somerlea Park Junior School Community 29.2 
			 113037 830 7014 Bennerley Fields School Community Special 29.2 
			 112784 830 2621 Model Village Primary School Community 29.1 
			 131776 830 2005 Castle View Primary School Community 29.0 
			 112493 830 2002 Croft Infant School Community 28.9 
			 112633 830 2249 Springfield Junior School Community 28.5 
			 112612 830 2202 Ripley Infant School Community 27.9 
			 112705 830 2372 Norbriggs Primary School Community 27.5 
			 112620 830 2223 Shirtand Primary School Community 27.0 
			 112806 830 3019 Fairfield Endowed CofE (C) Junior School Voluntary controlled 27.0 
			 112629 830 2242 Speedwell Infant School Community 26.9 
			 112630 830 2243 Duckmanton Primary School Community 26.8 
			 112677 830 2315 Eureka Primary School Community 26.8 
			 112889 830 3329 St. George's CofE Primary School (VA) Voluntary aided 26.7 
			 112961 830 4195 Parkside Community School Community 26.6 
			 112810 830 3025 Christ Church CofE Primary School Voluntary controlled 26.5 
			 112494 830 2003 Woodbridge Junior School Community 26.4 
			 112660 830 2285 Spire Nursery and Infant School Community 26.0 
			 112863 830 3099 Winster CofE Primary School Voluntary controlled 25.8 
			 112528 830 2074 Clay Cross Infant School Community 25.0 
			 112509 830 2045 New Bolsover Primary and Nursery School Community 24.4 
			 112492 830 2000 Leys Junior School Community 24.3 
			 112672 830 2306 The Park Infant School Community 24.1 
			 112801 830 3012 Bolsover Church of England Junior School Voluntary controlled 24.0 
			 112499 830 2009 Somercotes Infant School Community 23.9 
			 112982 830 5208 Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School Foundation 23.8 
			 112558 830 2119 Langley Mill Junior School Community 23.0 
			 112671 830 2299 William Rhodes Primary School Community 23.0 
			 112562 830 2125 Martpool Infant School Community 22.9 
			 112610 830 2196 Anthony Bek Community Primary School Community 22.6 
			 134910 830 1112 KS4 Support Centre Pupil Referral Unit 22.5 
			 112775 830 2514 Whitecotes Primary School Community 22.4 
			 112946 830 4168 Bennerley School Community 22.4 
			 112911 830 3521 St. Margaret's Catholic Primary Voluntary aided 22.2 
			 112965 830 4199 Shirebrook School Community 22.2 
			 112649 830 2270 Whitwel! Primary School Community 21.7 
			 112659 830 2283 Cavendish Junior School Community 21.7 
			 112689 830 2340 Sawley Junior School Community 21.3 
			 112702 830 2369 Sandiacre Cloudside Junior School Community 21.3 
			 112901 830 3505 Saint Mary's Catholic Primary Voluntary aided 21.2 
			 112532 830 2079 Clowne Junior School Community 21.1 
			 112687 830 2336 Copthorne Community Infant School Community 21.0 
			 112777 830 2517 Dunston Primary School Community 20.9 
			 112655 830 2278 Woodville Infant School Community 20.7 
			 112879 830 3308 Newbold CofE VA Primary School Voluntary aided 20.7 
			 112824 830 3042 Hartshome CofE Primary School Voluntary controlled 20.6 
			 112966 830 4200 Springwell Community School Community 20.3 
			 112699 830 2362 Fairfield Infant and Nursery School Community 20.2 
			 112694 830 2356 Elmsleigh Infant and Nursery School Community 20.1 
			  Source: School Census

Music: Curriculum

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his plans for music education in schools.

Jim Knight: A number of initiatives were announced at the "State of Play" event on 16 January as the Government's initial response to the second Music Manifesto report. These included an additional £10 million this year to raise the profile of singing.
	In July a consortium of Youth Music, The Sage Gateshead, Faber Music and advertising agency Abbot Mead Vickers was awarded the tender to manage the new National Singing Programme. Further announcements about our plans to support music education in schools will be made in due course.

Private Education: Fees and Charges

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the average cost of a day place at a private school.

Jim Knight: We do not collect information on the average cost of a day place at an independent school, neither is it feasible to produce an estimate from the data we collect. At January 2007 the Annual Schools' Census showed fees charged by schools catering mainly for children without special educational needs fell between nil and £33,974 per annum. Fees in independent schools catering for children with complex needs can be considerably higher.

School Improvement Partners

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate of the total annual cost of school improvement partners is; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The main cost of the school improvement partner programme is the cost to local authorities of deploying school improvement partners to the schools they maintain. This deployment is bound up with local authorities' wider school improvement responsibilities. Since using school improvement partners is generally more expensive than operating local authorities' previous arrangements, the Department provides a subsidy for the school improvement partner function within its funding to local authorities. For 2007-08, the cost of the subsidy is £15,803,938. The school improvement partner function also has a national component, mainly focused on national accreditation of school improvement partners and on quality assurance of local management of the function. For 2007-08, the cost of this national component is £7,651,200. The 2008-09 figure will certainly be lower, because in that year we will no longer have to build up the cadre of accredited school improvement partners; roll-out is due to be completed by April 2008.

School Leaving

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) young people and  (b) all people consulted by his Department (i) supported, (ii) opposed and (ii) neither supported nor opposed the Government's proposal to extend the education leaving age to 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We received a total of 473 written responses to 'Raising Expectations' in the formal full consultation, and just under 1,000 written responses from young people in response to the magazine 'Reach', the additional young people's materials we developed. These included 14 group responses, representing a total of 805 young people.
	In response to the question of whether they supported the Green Paper's central proposal to raise the participation age to 18, in the written response to 'Raising Expectations', 44 per cent. (202 people) were in agreement with the proposal, compared to 40 per cent. (186 people) who were opposed and 16 per cent. (76 people) who were unsure.
	In the written responses to the young people's materials, 47 per cent. (450 young people) were against, 36 per cent. (345 young people) agreed and 17 per cent. (165 young people) were not sure.

School Leaving

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make an estimate of the number of 17 year olds who are likely to truant each year in the event of the school leaving age being raised to 18 years.

Jim Knight: The Department has not estimated the number of 17-year-olds likely to be absent from education or training in 2015, once we raise the participation age to 18. The Green Paper "Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16" was published in March, setting out our proposals for all young people to continue in learning until they are 18, and a further "From policy to legislation" document was published on 5 November. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Under these proposals, if a young person is persistently absent from learning or drops out altogether, the learning provider will be required to inform the local authority, so that guidance services can contact the young person and support to re-engage can be provided as soon as possible.

School Leaving

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish research his Department has conducted on the capital costs of increasing the education leaving age to 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In March the Department published an Initial Regulatory Impact Assessment alongside the Green Paper "Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16", both of which have been placed in the Library of the House. In it we anticipated that an additional £81 million would be needed to build the new facilities necessary over the years leading up to implementation. These projections are being revised and independently reviewed before being published in the Impact Assessment that will accompany the Education and Skills Bill.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of school meal costs on school meal uptake in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what targets he has set for school meal uptake for each year until 2015; what steps he is taking to reach these targets; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This Department has not made an assessment of the impact of school meal costs on school meal uptake in each of the last three years. However, increasing take-up of school lunches is a priority for this Department and for the School Food Trust (SFT). The SFT has a target to increase take-up of school lunches from a 2005-06 baseline by 4 percentage points by March 2008 and by 10 percentage points by autumn 2009. In addition, school lunch take-up is now one of the indicators in the Local Government National Indicator Set from which local authorities and their partners will agree their own targets in their Local Area Agreements.
	An additional £240 million will be available to authorities and schools between 2008 and 2011 to help keep down the cost of a school lunch and the Secretary of State recently wrote to all Headteachers and Chairs of Governors, and to all Directors of Children's Services, urging them to actively support their school lunch services. The SFT already has activity underway to promote school lunches and generate demand, such as their 'Million Meals' campaign; cooking clubs for parents and children; Disney posters in schools, and a teenage marketing campaign.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his estimate is of the cost of introducing the nutrient standards for school meals in each year between 2006-07 and 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In its report "Turning the Tables: Transforming School Food" (published in September 2005), the School Meals Review Panel (SMRP) estimated that the revenue cost (including ingredients, labour, training, marketing and waste) of introducing the new nutritional standards for school food would be £167.2 million in the first year and £158.8 million a year in subsequent years. The costs are higher in year one to reflect additional expenditure on staff training. The SMRP figures assume no increase in take-up of school meals and no efficiency savings.
	The costs of school lunches are rightly met by authorities, schools, parents and carers. However, the Government are investing an additional £500 million between 2005 and 2011 to support the improvement of school food.

Schools: Capital Investment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what capital expenditure on schools per pupil was in each English  (a) region and  (b) local authority in each year from 1997-98 to 2006-07 in real terms using 2005-06 prices; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2007-08 to 2014-15.

Jim Knight: The Department does not maintain records of capital expenditure on schools on a per pupil local authority basis. The Department has published information, in the Departmental Report 2007, on capital funding per maintained school pupil in England for the years 1997-98 to 2007-08. This is set out in the table.
	The following table is taken from Table 8.6, on page 106 of the Department for Education and Skills Departmental Report 2007.
	
		
			   Funds per maintained pupil (£) 
			   Real terms  Percentage real terms increase on 1997-98 
			  Actual   
			 1997-98 120 — 
			 1998-99 170 142 
			 1999-2000 220 183 
			 2000-01 340 283 
			 2001-02 350 292 
			 2002-03 500 417 
			 2003-04 570 475 
			 2004-05 660 550 
			 2005-06 700 583 
			
			  Estimated outturn   
			 2006-07 650 542 
			
			  Plans   
			 2007-08 820 683 
			  Note: Real terms figures have been calculated using the March 2007 Gross Domestic Product deflators with 2005-06 as the base year.

Schools: Crimes of Violence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were  (a) permanently and  (b) temporarily excluded from school for physical assault against (i) a pupil and (ii) an adult in (A) 2003-04, (B) 2004-05, (C) 2005-06 and (D) 2006-07.

Jim Knight: The available information is shown in the following table.
	Data for 2007/08 will be available in June 2008.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and special schools( 1,2) : Number and percentage of permanent and fixed period exclusions for assault against pupils and adults—England, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 
			   Number of exclusions for: 
			   Physical assault against an adult  Physical assault against a pupil 
			  2003/04   
			 Number of permanent exclusions(3) 1,190 1,720 
			 Percentage of all permanent exclusions(3,4) 12 17 
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 15,990 69,020 
			 Percentage of all fixed period exclusions(3) 5 20 
			
			  2004/05   
			 Number of permanent exclusions(3) 1,270 1,780 
			 Percentage of all permanent exclusions(3,4) 13 19 
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 18,480 80,700 
			 Percentage of all fixed period exclusions(3) 13 21 
			
			  2005/06—Maintained secondary schools only( 5)   
			 Number of permanent exclusions(3) 740 1,260 
			 Percentage of all permanent exclusions(3) 9 16 
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 8,240 62,670 
			 Percentage of all fixed period exclusions 16 18 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained special schools. Excludes non-maintained special schools. (3) The number of exclusions by reason expressed as a percentage of the total number of exclusions. (4) The distribution of exclusions by reason has been derived from Termly Exclusions Survey and applied to the number of permanent exclusions as confirmed by local authorities as part of the Annual Schools Census data checking exercise. (5) For the 2005/06 school year, information on the reason for exclusion was collected via the School Census for the first time for secondary schools only (the Termly Exclusions Survey has discontinued). For exclusions during 2006/07, information on the reason for exclusion will also be collected from primary and special schools.

Schools: Fire Prevention

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families from what date all new primary and secondary schools are required to have fire sprinklers installed; and if he will publish the links to the websites containing  (a) the risk analysis and  (b) the cost-benefit analysis tools referred to in the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 308W, on schools: fire prevention.

Jim Knight: It was expected that from 1 March 2007 the designs of all new school buildings would include sprinklers unless it could be shown that there was a very low risk and therefore no benefit to install sprinklers.
	The risk analysis and the cost-benefit analysis tools will be available for download from
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/resourcesfinanceand building/schoolbuildings/stat/firesafetyforschools/
	on 9 November 2007.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the operation of the proposed academic diplomas; how many separate subjects will have to be taught for these in respect of each diploma for those pupils above Key Stage 4; and what financial provision he proposes to make for the diplomas;
	(2)  what diplomas he intends to have in place by the years  (a) 2013 and  (b) 2015;
	(3)  what subjects will be studied by students taking the new diplomas in  (a) science,  (b) languages and  (c) humanities; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what subjects will be studied as part of the new diplomas in  (a) construction and the built environment,  (b) creative arts and media,  (c) engineering,  (d) information technology and  (e) society, health and development; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what plans he has to introduce the formal teaching of modern languages at an earlier stage in the schools system.

Jim Knight: By 2013 we will have 17 14-19 diplomas in place. We currently expect to have the same number in place by 2015.
	The policy statement attached to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families' written ministerial statement of 23 October, set out our intention to establish a Diploma Development Partnership (DDP) to specify the content for each of the new diplomas, consulting with a wide range of partners and stakeholders. This will start work in the new year. In order to specify the design structure and principles within which this DDP will work, we have created an expert advisory group to work with us over the next few months to develop the DDP terms of reference.
	Students following any of the diploma programmes will have the opportunity to study a broad spectrum of topics relevant to their chosen sector, or area of study. The core of each diploma is the "Principal Learning" element. All students will also undertake a programme of generic learning which includes personal, learning and thinking skills and functional skills (in English, maths and information technology). diploma students will be able to personalise their learning by adding "Additional and Specialist Learning", which can develop depth and breadth of study. The personalisation of each student's learning programme is a key feature of the diploma structure.
	Curriculum guidance has been published for the first five diplomas, ahead of first teaching in September 2008. The full specifications for each of the first five lines of learning , accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, can be viewed on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications at:
	http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/DiplomaCatalogue Selection.aspx
	Indicative levels of funding for 2008-11 for 14-19 learning, including diplomas, have been identified within the Government's comprehensive spending review (CSR). The details of the additional funds to be allocated for diplomas are being finalised as part of firming up precise allocations within the indicative settlement. We expect to be able to announce levels of funding available by the new year, well before the end of the 2007-08 financial year.

Teachers: Working Hours

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average number of hours worked per week was for  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school teachers in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The following table details the estimated average total hours worked per week by full-time teachers over the last five years. The fall in hours worked by secondary heads and deputy heads from 2006 to 2007 is statistically significant; no other categories of teacher saw a significant change in the hours they worked between 2006 and 2007.
	
		
			  Total hours worked per week 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Primary  
			 Head teachers 55.5 55.6 52.9 53.5 54.2 
			 Deputy heads 56.4 55.7 55.7 53.4 51.4 
			 Classroom teachers 51.8 52.5 50.9 50.1 51.5 
			   
			  Secondary  
			 Head teachers 60.9 60.8 62.6 65.1 57.6 
			 Deputy head 56.5 54.1 58.1 61.0 53.6 
			 Heads of faculty/department 52.7 51.6 51.2 51.5 50.2 
			 Classroom teachers 50.8 49.9 49.3 49.1 48.7 
			  Note: The estimates are derived from the diary returns of about 2,000 randomly selected teachers in primary, secondary and special schools in England and Wales. In 2007, the diaries were completed during a single week in March; in previous years the survey ran in comparable weeks. Total hours worked include the time taken to complete the diary which on average took about an hour. 
		
	
	The changes in total hours that are statistically significant (at 95 per cent. level) are for:
	Primary deputy heads between 2007 and estimates for all previous years.
	Primary classroom teachers between 2007 and 2004.
	Secondary head teachers between 2007 and estimates for all previous years.
	Secondary deputy heads between 2007 and all previous estimates except 2004.
	Secondary heads of faculty/department between 2007 and 2003.
	Secondary classroom teachers between 2007 and 2003.
	The full report for the School Teachers' Review Body on Teachers' workloads diary survey, 2007 can be found at:
	http://www.ome.uk.com/downloads/2007%20Teachers%20 Report%20FINAL.pdf

Truancy: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the level of truancy was by  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in local education authorities in (i) Hampshire, (ii) Southampton and (iii) Portsmouth in each year since 1997, broken down by sex; how many days were lost; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not maintain records of 'truancy'. Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.
	The available information is provided in the tables and relates to a selection of years between 1997/98 to 2005/06.
	The first year for which absence rates by gender are available is 2005/06. The coverage of this information is secondary schools only. Absence rates by gender for 2006/07 will be available in February 2008, and the scope will extend to also include primary schools.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : Percentage of half days missed 1997/98,1999/2000, 2001/02, 2003/04, Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton local authority areas 2004/05 
			   Primary schools  Secondary schools 
			   Percentage of half days missed:  Percentage of half days missed: 
			   Due to authorised absence  Due to unauthorised absence  Due to authorised absence  Due to unauthorised absence 
			  Hampshire local authority area 
			 1997/98 4.9 0.3 6.9 0.8 
			 1999/2000 4.5 0.3 6.6 0.8 
			 2001/02 4.7 0.4 7.0 1.1 
			 2003/04 4.5 0.3 6.4 1.1 
			 2004/05 4.7 0.3 6.2 1.2 
			  Southampton local authority area 
			 1997/98 6.0 0.9 7.9 1.1 
			 1999/2000 5.7 0.8 8.5 1.1 
			 2001/02 6.3 0.8 8.7 1.3 
			 2003/04 5.6 0.7 7.7 1.2 
			 2004/05 5.7 0.8 7.4 1.9 
			  Portsmouth local authority area 
			 1997/98 6.6 0.8 9.5 1.9 
			 1999/2000 5.4 0.8 8.4 1.8 
			 2001/02 5.4 0.7 9.4 1.6 
			 2003/04 5.1 0.8 8.2 1.9 
			 2004/05 5.2 0.8 7.5 1.8 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  Source: Survey of Absence in Schools 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained secondary schools( 1) : Pupil absence by gender( 2 ) 2005/06 
			   Secondary schools 
			   Percentage of half days missed: 
			   D ue to authorised absence  D ue to unauthorised absence  D ue to overall absence 
			  Hampshire local authority area
			 Boys 6.45 1.41 7.86 
			 Girls 6.85 1.44 8.29 
			 Total 6.65 1.42 8.07 
			  Southampton local authority area
			 Boys 7.23 2.12 9.35 
			 Girls 7.35 1.93 9.28 
			 Total 7.29 2.02 9.31 
			  Portsmouth local authority area
			 Boys 7.92 2.15 10.07 
			 Girls 7.60 2.67 10.28 
			 Total 7.76 2.41 10.17 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes pupils aged five to 15. Excludes boarders.  Source:  School Census

Vocational Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his Department's plans to place new duties on employers in relation to education and training for young people between the ages of 16 and 18 years.

Jim Knight: We will legislate through the Education and Skills Bill, announced in the Queen's Speech last week, to require all young people to continue in education or training until the age of 18, from 2015. There will be no duties on employers if they employ a 16 or 17-year-old for less than 20 hours a week, or if they provide accredited training. If they employ a young person for more than that, without training, the young person will need to provide evidence that they are in learning before they can start employment, and the employer will need to check this. The employer will also need to release the young person from work for the equivalent of a day each week so that they can train elsewhere, and will not be required to pay them for this time.
	The Secretary of State and I published the document "Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16—From policy to legislation" on 5 November. This sets out our plans to raise the participation age and the aspects that require a change in the law. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Pay

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will list the 10 highest salaries paid by his Department and its predecessor since January 2007.

David Lammy: The Department was created as a result of the machinery of government changes in June.
	The top 10 highest paid salaries for staff transferring to the new Department are detailed in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Number  Annual salary 
			 1 154,053.00 
			 2 151,137.00 
			 3 131,963.00 
			 4 131,589.00 
			 5 128,250.00 
			 6 115,265.00 
			 7 112,200.00 
			 8 105,280.00 
			 9 98,820.00 
			 10 98,773.00

Departmental Pay

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the total wage cost was of his Department's predecessor in 1997; and what it is expected to be for his Department in 2007.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) came into existence this year and we are, therefore, unable to provide total wage costs back to 1997. We estimate that the total paybill outturn for DIUS in 2007-08 will be around £47million.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of serious alcohol dependency in the general population was in each of the last 10 years; and what the expenditure was on treatment and rehabilitation for people dependent on alcohol outside the criminal justice system over the same period.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project published in November 2005, found that in 2003-04, a total of £217 million was being invested by the national health service and local authorities in specialist alcohol treatment. In that year, 63,000 people received treatment for alcohol-related disorders and around 1.1 million people were actually dependent on alcohol.

Campylobacter

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the transmission routes of  (a) campylobacter and  (b) listeria in the human population.

Dawn Primarolo: Published figures on trends in indigenous foodborne disease and deaths in England and Wales, 1992-2000(1) include estimates that 80 per cent. of  Campylobacter and 99 per cent. of  Listeria monocytogenes infections in humans are foodborne.
	Laboratory confirmed  Campylobacter and  Listeria monocytogenes human infections are monitored as part of the Food Standards Agency's strategy to reduce foodborne disease.
	 Source:
	(1) Adak GK, Long SM, O'Brien S. Trends in indigenous foodborne disease and deaths, England and Wales:1992 to 2000. Gut 2002;51:832-841.

Departmental Board

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) dates,  (b) locations and  (c) costs were of the last four away days of his Department's Departmental Board.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Date  Location  Cost (including VAT) (£) 
			 3/4 May 2007 Thistle Victoria 4,210.00 
			  Buckingham Palace Road  
			  London  
			  SW1W OSJ  
			 25 September 2006 Department of Health 611.00 
			  Skipton House  
			  80 London Road  
			  London  
			  SE1 6LH  
			 6/7 April 2006 Great Fosters 3,878.55 
			  Stroude Road  
			  Egham  
			  Surrey  
			  TW20 9UR  
			 6/7 October 2005 Great Fosters 3,705.00 
			  Stroude Road  
			  Egham  
			  Surrey  
			  TW20 9UR

Health Services: Elderly

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has issued guidance to primary care trusts on commissioning health services for the elderly since March 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Commissioning Framework for Health and Well-Being was published for consultation on 7 March 2007. This framework builds on the White Paper "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say".

West Sussex Primary Care Trust

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all representations made relating to the West Sussex Primary Care Trust's Fit for the Future consultation before 26 July 2007 will be considered.

Dawn Primarolo: We would expect West Sussex Primary Care Trust to consider representations made to the PCT both in the pre-consultation phase and in the formal consultation phase.

Courts Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much HM Courts Service spent in 2006-07 on civilian fines officers; and how much the civilian fines officers recovered in the same period.

Maria Eagle: In 2006-07 Her Majesty's Courts Service spent a total of £72.5 million on criminal enforcement activity. This expenditure was used to fund the day to day enforcement costs, such as the salaries of court enforcement officers, fines officers and administrative staff, training for staff and IT running costs.
	The amount of cash collected for the same period in respect of financial impositions, which include fines, costs, compensation and the victim's surcharge, was £245 million.
	It is not possible to identify how much of the above civilian fines officers were responsible for recovering.

Prisoners: Fingerprints

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to his answer of 17 May 2007,  Official Report, column 873W, on Prison Service, whether all prison establishments are required to fingerprint prisoners on reception; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: My Department's policy is that all prisoners, with the exception of those committed into custody for a non-payment of a fine, should be fingerprinted upon their first reception to any prison establishment after their conviction. The effectiveness and future strategy of fingerprinting processes within the Prison Service is to be examined, taking into account any additional benefit gained from these processes over the fingerprinting already carried out by the police.

Prisoners: Nationality

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign prisoners were held in jails in Kent on 31 October.

David Hanson: The figures requested are published quarterly at the Ministry of Justice website at:
	www.justice.gov.uk.
	The following table shows the latest available data, from the publication 'Population in Custody Monthly Tables September 2007 England and Wales' (Table 4).
	
		
			 Foreign national prisoners in prison establishments in Kent, 30 September 2007 
			  Establishment  Foreign nationals  UK nationals  Nationality not recorded  Total 
			 Blantyre House 1 117 1 119 
			 Canterbury 259 15 2 276 
			 Cookham Wood 0 12 0 12 
			 East Sutton Park(1) 13 77 0 90 
			 Elmley 173 797 15 985 
			 Maidstone 99 378 3 480 
			 Rochester 56 329 1 386 
			 Standford Hill 30 368 0 398 
			 Swaleside 165 603 1 769 
			 (1) East Sutton Park is a women's prison.  Source: Figures taken from monthly published statistics at:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/pop-in-custody-sep07.xls 
		
	
	Dover Immigration Removal Centre is excluded from this table because it holds only those detained under immigration powers, not those serving custodial sentences.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Victims: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the purpose was of the internal audit of the operation of the victim's surcharge; whether magistrates were involved in the audit; and what conclusions have been reached.

Maria Eagle: The internal audit is being conducted as part of a 2007-08 annual audit programme. The purpose of the audit is to review the application and effectiveness of procedures applied in magistrates' courts in relation to the processing and accounting of the victim's surcharge. Magistrates have not been directly involved in the audit. Court records are being examined to establish that the surcharge has been ordered in all appropriate cases and that all judicial cancellations of the surcharge are supported by sufficient and appropriate evidence. The internal audit is still in progress and no final conclusions have been reached. It is anticipated that the results of the internal audit will be reported in December.

Victims: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been collected via the victim's surcharge since inception; where the funds raised are held; what plans there are for use of such funding; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: As at the end of September some £695,323 in receipts have been collected, since the victims surcharge came into operation on 1 April 2007. Arrangements have been made in the impending winter supplementary estimates for the receipts in question to be appropriated in aid against the Ministry of Justice estimates.
	Money from the surcharge is being used to help fund organisations and schemes providing a range of emotional and practical support services to victims of crime and witnesses.

Victims: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the representations he has received on the victim's surcharge since its inception were in favour of it .

Maria Eagle: Since its inception, we have received 90 pieces of correspondence about the surcharge, 76 through MPs. Of the 90, 12 pieces of correspondence were pursuant to earlier correspondence on the matter.
	Of the 90, one correspondent expressed support and three expressed no view. The rest expressed some unhappiness with, or opposition to, at least one aspect of the surcharge on fines.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what documents restaurateurs involved in the raids by the Border and Immigration Agency on 11 October were asked to sign; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Restaurateurs were asked to sign the 'notification of potential liability' section in the section 8 Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 Illegal Working Visit Record Book.

Entry Clearances: Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the likely change in the number of non-EU workers given leave to enter the UK as a result of the introduction of  (a) the points-based system and  (b) the measures contained in Her Majesty's Gracious Speech; and over what timescale she expects such changes to take place.

Liam Byrne: We are introducing the points-based system during 2008 and 2009 so that only those the UK needs can come to work or study. When we set the 'pass mark' we will take advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee on where in the economy migration can sensibly fill skills gaps, and the Migration Impacts Forum on the wider impacts of migration.

Immigration Controls

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which elements of the Government's points-based immigration system require further primary legislation; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 November 2007
	None. We are satisfied that existing primary legislation (including the UK Borders Act 2007) gives us all the powers we need to operate the PBS.

Information: Airports

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors were taken into account in determining the format of the notices posted in airports for incoming passengers at the UK's borders.

Liam Byrne: As part of a communication campaign during Summer 2007 posters were placed across those ports with the highest passenger footfalls to help ensure the travelling public was aware that the UK border was being strengthened through tougher checks and that they should prepare for a longer wait to have their travel documents checked by immigration officers. The posters were displayed at various sites including passport control, arrivals and departures with a simple message of 'tougher checks can take longer'.

MI5

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many files in the PF MI5 series there were; how many of these have been  (a) declassified,  (b) destroyed and  (c) designated as remaining classified; what criteria were used to designate such files as falling into each category; how many of the PF MI5 series files that remain classified relate to (i) suspected and (ii) indicted war criminals; if he will declassify such files to enable an assessment by the Metropolitan War Crimes Unit to be made with a view to grounds for prosecutions; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The available information is that the Security Service held approximately 272,000 personal files in January 2005—this figure is an accumulative total covering the history of the Service and includes those files on individuals who have been subject to investigation, personnel files on members of staff and other files, for example, those who have been of assistance to the Service, but does not include those files that have been destroyed. Since 1997, the Service has destroyed approximately 114,000 personal files—these were destroyed in accordance with agreed procedures and do not include files of historic interest. As at September 2007, the Service had declassified and released to The National Archive over 2,700 volumes of personal files.
	The Security Service will provide full assistance, including disclosure of information, in response to a police request arising from an investigation of suspected war crimes.

Police: Arbitration

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to accept as binding all decisions of the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: As I explained in my reply to the hon. Gentleman's question on 4 October 2007, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will consider very carefully the recommendations that result from the Police Arbitration Tribunal before making her decision on the 2007 police officer pay award.

Police: Incentives

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are applied in determining bonus payments for senior police officers.

Tony McNulty: The criteria for determining bonus payments for senior police officers are determined by the Police Negotiating Board comprising representatives of the Secretaries of State, police authorities, chief police officers and the police staff associations. The criteria for determining bonus payments have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and are also available on the Police Negotiating Board Circular 2005/3 which can be viewed at the Office of Manpower Economies' website at:
	http://www.ome.uk.com/downloads/05-3percent20chiefpercent 20officerspercent20bonuspercent20nationalpercent20guidance. doc

Police: Information and Communications Technology

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many police forces in England and Wales have referred cases to the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) involving passwords in each year since NTAC's inception; how many cases in each year were resolved within three months; and what the average time frame was for a case to be resolved in each year;
	(2)  how many police forces in England and Wales have referred cases involving encryption to the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) in each year since NTAC's inception; how many such cases were resolved within three months; and what the average time frame for such cases being resolved was in 2006-07.

David Miliband: holding answer 12 November 2007
	 I have been asked to reply.
	The number of police forces in England and Wales that have referred cases to the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) for assistance to process lawfully obtained protected electronic information has been:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001 10 
			 2002 20 
			 2003 22 
			 2004 23 
			 2005 18 
			 2006 21 
			 2007 (to date) 18 
		
	
	As my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) informed the House in her written ministerial statement on 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 11WS:
	"The National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) was formally transferred from the Home Office to Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in April 2006. As the Minister responsible for GCHQ, I now have ministerial oversight of its activities."
	It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters including the work of the intelligence agencies.

Departmental Consultations

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many responses his Department received to its consultation on the Government's draft legislative programme; and if he will publish them.

Peter Hain: The Leader of the House of Commons issued a written ministerial statement today, "The Government's Draft Legislative Programme—Taking a wider view" as a summary of the Government's first steps in taking the wider view after the publication of the Draft Legislative Programme.
	My Department received 18 responses about the Draft Legislative Programme from various organisations in Wales.

Legislation

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales of the legislation introduced by his Department since its establishment, which provisions have not been brought into force.

Peter Hain: All of the Acts of Parliament for which the Wales Office is the responsible Department have been brought into force, subject to the following exceptions.
	 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005
	Section 20 and paragraph 15 (5) of Schedule 1 have not been brought into force. The power to commence those provisions rests with the Welsh Ministers. The other substantive provisions of the Act came into force in October 2005, but some amendments and repeals were made by the Government of Wales Act 2006 with effect from May 2007.
	 Government  o f Wales Act 2006
	Sections 107, 108 and 110 to 115 ("the Assembly Act provisions") have not yet come into force. The Welsh Ministers will have the power to commence those provisions in accordance with section 105 if the majority of voters in a referendum held throughout Wales vote in favour of them coming into force. The rest of the Act came into force between July 2006 and June 2007.
	 National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006
	This Act consolidated the existing law and came into force on 1 March 2007. However, where the Act re-enacts provisions in certain legislation which has not yet come into force, the re-enactment of those provisions will not take effect until the original provisions come into force.

Cyprus: Currencies

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what currency will circulate in the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus when Cyprus joins the euro in July 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	In appendix O to the Treaty establishing the Republic of Cyprus the UK Government agreed that "the currency of the Republic will be legal tender in the Sovereign Base Areas". Since 1960 the Sovereign Base Areas, including a large number of Cypriot citizens as well as the British military personnel who reside there, have used the Cyprus pound. The Republic of Cyprus will replace the Cyprus pound with the euro from 1 January 2008. At the same time the Sovereign Base Areas will also adopt the euro as legal tender. The use of a currency in the Sovereign Base Areas other than that circulating in the Republic of Cyprus would be impractical, and would run counter to our 1960 commitments.

Departmental NDPBs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) budget and  (b) remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; who the chairman is of each; and to what salary, including bonuses and expenses, each chairman is entitled.

Meg Munn: The following are the budgets and remit of each of the non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO); who the chairman is of each; and to what salary, including bonuses and expenses, each chairman is entitled.
	 The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission
	The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission is the NDPB responsible for administering the Marshall Scholarship Scheme. The FCO funds this scheme almost entirely and is contributing £2.2 million this financial year.
	Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the UK. Scholars are selected each year to study either at graduate or occasionally undergraduate level at an UK institution in any field of study. Each scholarship is held for two years. As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their Governments and their institutions. The current chairman is Dr. Frances Dow. The role of chairman is unpaid, but she is entitled to claim travel expenses only.
	 The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine (GHACPW)
	The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine (GHACPW) has no budget and its operating costs are met by Government Hospitality, Protocol Directorate. The remit of the Committee, as defined in its Terms of Reference, is
	"to advise the Minister responsible for Government Hospitality on the maintenance of an appropriate standard of wine for use at Government functions. This entails advice, after tasting, on the purchase of wine, the exchange of wine if necessary, and the stocking of the Government Hospitality Cellar at Lancaster House."
	The GHACPW chairman is Sir David Wright GCMG LVO. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses to attend each of the four meetings per year.
	 BBC World Service (BBCWS)
	The FCO will provide grant in aid of £239.5 million to the BBCWS in financial year 2007-08. BBCWS' remit is to provide independent news and information to audiences around the world. Sir Michael Lyon is chairman of the BBC Trust. His salary, which is not funded by the FCO, is £140,000 per annum. Sir Michael was appointed on 1 May 2007 so no expenses were incurred last financial year. Out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred while on BBCWS business are reimbursed. Bonuses are not paid.
	 Wilton Park Advisory Council (WPAC)
	WPAC has no budget. WPAC's main responsibilities are to ensure that Wilton Park activities meet the highest academic standards and that it maintains its reputation as a centre of excellence. It also gives advice concerning the selection of conference themes, speakers and participants. The current chairman of WPAC is Dr. Farhan Nizami (from the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies). The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses for attendance at the bi-annual meetings.
	 The British Council
	In 2007-08 the British Council's grant in aid budget from the FCO was £192,803,000. The purpose of the British Council is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK's creative ideas and achievements. The chairman of the British Council is my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Kinnock. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred while on British Council business.
	 The Great Britain China Centre (GBCC)
	The Great Britain China Centre (GBCC) receives a grant in aid of £300,000 from the FCO, which is drawn down quarterly. The remit of the GBCC is to promote closer economic, professional, cultural, and academic relations between Britain and China; and to encourage mutual knowledge and understanding. The chairman of the GBCC is Mr. Peter Batey, OBE. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses only.
	 The Foreign Compensation Commission (FCC)
	The Foreign Compensation Commission (FCC) is an independent tribunal formed by an Act of Parliament in the 1960s. The FCC has a budget of £52,000 per annum. However, last year this budget was underspent by £12,000, and this year it is expected to be underspent by £15,000. In both cases the money has been returned to central FCO funds before the mid point of the year. The FCC remit is to administer and pay out compensation to UK citizens who have had property expropriated by a foreign state. It takes action following an FCO-negotiated settlement with an expropriating state. In such instances, the Government normally agrees a lump sum settlement with the relevant state. It is the responsibility of the FCC to fairly distribute this lump sum between the various UK claimants, who could number in the thousands. The chairman of the FCC is Dr. John Barker. Dr. Barker works part time a few days a month. His fees are £469 per day. His total fees for the year are budgeted at £25,000.
	 The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD)
	The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is a NDPB set up by the FCO in 1992. The WFD is funded primarily by an annual grant-in-aid from the FCO (£4.1 million for financial year 2006-07); it seeks further financial support from the private sector and other funding organisations. Its aim is to help establish and strengthen pluralist democratic institutions, particularly political parties, in countries where they are absent, of recent foundation, or in need of further encouragement and development. My hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, West (Mr. Bailey) has been chairman of the WFD since August 2005. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses incurred.
	 The Diplomatic Service Appeal Board (DSAB)
	The Diplomatic Service Appeal Board (DSAB) is an advisory NDPB. The DSAB has no operating budget. The DSAB's main purpose is to advise my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary whether premature retirement or termination of an appointment on grounds of failed probation, or dismissal on any grounds is fair. The board's function is to satisfy itself that management has acted responsibly and fairly. The chair is Philippa Drew. The role of chairman is unpaid. All members get a daily fee of £360, plus travel and subsistence costs, for work undertaken on behalf of the board. The board meets infrequently, at most once or twice a year.
	 The British Association for Central and Eastern Europe (BACEE)
	The British Association for Central and Eastern Europe (BACEE). The budget from the FCO is £100,000 for this financial year, however this will be the last year the BACEE will receive Government funding. BACEE exists to promote a closer understanding between the British people and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and to support them in developing democratic systems and civil society. Their main activity is organising seminars and study visits. These have covered parliamentary elections, the judicial system, the media, anti-corruption, banking, local government, and penal reform. The chairman is my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Radice. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses only, this has never been done.

Diego Garcia: Ilois

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates UK Government  (a) officials and  (b) Ministers held discussions with the US Administration on new arrangements for Chagos Islanders to work on two-year contracts on Diego Garcia; and when these new arrangements came into effect.

Meg Munn: There are no new arrangements. Chagossians have been able to apply for jobs on the US facility on Diego Garcia—some have worked there over the past decades, three Chagossians were employed there last year.
	Officials annually remind the government of the United States of its obligation under the 1966 Exchange of Notes that it and its contractors agreed to make use of workers from Mauritius and Seychelles to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with United States policies, requirements and schedules. This was last reviewed during the 2007 US/UK political military talks held in Washington on 12 and 13 September. Ministers have not raised this issue recently with the US administration.

EU Treaties: Reform

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on EU plans to run publicity and PR campaigns in the UK explaining the contents of the Treaty of Lisbon; and what the Government's position is on such plans.

Jim Murphy: The European Commission has no plans to run publicity and public relations campaigns in the UK explaining the contents of the treaty of Lisbon.

European General Affairs and External Relations Council: Voting

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many votes took place at the European General Affairs and External Relations Council in each of the last 12 months; how many times the British Government  (a) applied a veto,  (b) voted negatively and  (c) abstained in such votes in each month; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The latest twelve month period for which definitive figures are available from the Council Secretariat runs to May 2007. During that period the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council voted to adopt 86 acts. The breakdown by month is as follows.
	 2006
	June—10
	July/August—7
	September—7
	October—9
	November—7
	December—9
	 2007
	January—7
	February—9
	March—6
	April—10
	May—5
	The UK voted against on only one occasion (a Council Regulation imposing an anti-dumping duty on imports of ironing boards originating in the People's Republic of China and Ukraine) in April 2007. The UK did not veto or abstain on any votes.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been paid to private military and security companies in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan to protect British Government personnel and infrastructure in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Iraq  
			 2003/04 21,800,000 
			 2004/05 52,200,000 
			 2005/06 47,800,000 
			 2006/07 30,400,000 
			 2007/08 27,400,000 
			  Afghanistan  
			 2004 4,850,000 
			 2005 5,430,000 
			 2006 16,430,000 
			 2007 19,780,000 
		
	
	The information above covers contracts put in place by the Government with private security companies, and reflects in the main the contract values concerned and not the actual spend. These include Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development and other Government contracts.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he and  (b) the Prime Minister have had with Mr Blair since his appointment as the Quartet's Middle East Envoy; on what dates these discussions took place; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I are in contact with the right hon. Tony Blair, the Quartet Representative, and discuss a wide range of issues concerning the Middle East.

Uzbekistan: Human Rights

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in reducing the use of torture by official agencies in Uzbekistan since the report on that country by the UN special rapporteur on torture in 2002.

Jim Murphy: Uzbekistan remains the only country in Central Asia to have invited and hosted the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Following his visit in 2002, the then UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Theo van Boven, made 22 key recommendations in his report. The Uzbek authorities say they have fulfilled these. The current UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, has been unable to visit Uzbekistan to study implementation. He told the UN Human Rights Council in 2006 that
	"the very fact that torture is still practised systematically (in Uzbekistan) is the best proof that the recommendations have not been implemented".
	The Uzbek authorities point to national legislation that prohibits "illegal" torture. Two Interior Ministry officials were convicted of torture in April 2007, but the numbers of allegations far outweigh the cases investigated and brought to trial.
	The criminal justice system still convicts on the basis of confessions, with scant corroborating evidence, and thus encourages coercion. Anecdotal evidence suggests that judges continue to overlook allegations of torture made during trials. This suggests a lack of substantial progress to reduce the practice of torture. We continue to receive regular allegations of torture from victims, their relatives and human rights defenders. We have concluded, therefore, that torture and other forms of ill treatment are routine, particularly in the early stages of custody. We welcome the reforms to the criminal justice system that the Uzbek Government will introduce from 1 January 2008 to abolish the death penalty and implement a form of  habeas corpus. The latter step is particularly key to combating torture.

Uzbekistan: Human Rights

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Uzbekistan Government on its observance of human rights and the use of torture; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We work bilaterally, as well as with the EU and international organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to ensure improved respect for human rights in Uzbekistan. The issue of torture continues to form part of our dialogue on human rights with the Uzbek authorities. We regularly raise allegations of human rights abuses. We have made repeated representations and statements on the detention, harassment and trials of human rights defenders and opposition figures in Uzbekistan. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Human Rights Report details our concerns.
	Our embassy in Tashkent has funded the participation of an Uzbek human rights non-governmental organisation at the UN Committee Against Torture current session (5-23 November) which is assessing the extent to which Uzbekistan is implementing its obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture.
	During the EU-Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue in May 2007, the EU expressed its concern at persistent reports that torture continues to be widespread.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how much the UK Government have given to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara;
	(2)  if he will make representations to Morocco on its obligations as an occupying power to provide for the protection and welfare of the West Saharan population;
	(3)  what representations he has made to the UN on ensuring a referendum on the Western Sahara is carried out.

Kim Howells: The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1783 on 31 October, which renewed the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2008. Since 1991, the Government have made assessed contributions of £21.8 million for the maintenance of MINURSO.
	The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Peter van Walsum. UK officials play an active role at the UN in New York in discussions on Western Sahara. This includes the negotiation and adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1783. The Resolution also
	"calls upon the parties to continue negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General without preconditions and in good faith, taking into account the efforts made since 2006 and developments of the last months, with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara".
	The UK raises the issue of Western Sahara on a regular basis with the parties, including wider issues of welfare and security. I raised the issue of Western Sahara and the ongoing negotiations process when I spoke to the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Taib Fassi Firhi on 25 October. The UK has encouraged the parties to continue negotiations under UN auspices, as set out in UN Security Council Resolutions 1754 and 1783.

Africa: Overseas Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of his Department's projects in Africa are categorised as high-risk.

Gareth Thomas: The following information on the risk profile of projects in Africa was gathered on 1 October 2007:
	
		
			   Total 
			 Number of projects 809 
			 Value of projects (£ million) 3,865 
			 High risk 110 
			 High risk (£ million) 1,026 
		
	
	The proportion of projects classified as high risk is 13 per cent.; or 27 per cent. when taken as a proportion of the commitment value.
	The methodology used to rate the level of risk of projects involves an assessment of both the probability of risk factors occurring and the severity of their impact. High risk projects are those where probability of these risk factors occurring is rated high and their impact medium or high, or where probability is rated medium and impact high.

Departmental Expenditure

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which of his Department's budget headings he expects to make the savings of £414 million announced in the Comprehensive Saving Review.

Douglas Alexander: DFID—like all other Government Departments—has agreed to make value for money savings of at least 3 per cent. annual net cash releasing gains on our total departmental budget and 5 per cent. annual real reductions in our administration budgets by 2010-11. Savings of 3 per cent. equates to £492 million. In addition to portfolio quality improvements of £66 million and administrative cost savings of £12 million we are committed to savings of £414 million which are broken down over two categories. Bilateral allocative efficiency savings of £257 million were identified alongside multilateral allocative efficiency savings of £157 million. These figures remain indicative and are subject to finalisation in the VFM delivery agreement which DFID is due to publish in December.
	The savings will be realised through changes in the allocation of funds across country programmes and multilateral institutions. As in the 2004 spending review, the methodology for assessing gains achieved by more poverty-focused allocation is based on econometric studies by Paul Collier and David Dollar showing that the impact of aid varies with countries' per capita income and policy environment.

Departmental Standards

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has met its achievement targets in each of the last five years.

Douglas Alexander: The key achievements for the Department over the last five years are set out in the public service agreements (PSAs) which cover the periods 2001-04, 2003-06 and 2005-08. A detailed assessment of progress against all targets is contained in both the departmental report and the autumn performance report which are published each year. The latest assessment of performance which was published in the 2007 annual report contained a full record of progress against the PSA's for both 2003-06 and 2005-08.

Departments: Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will break down the figures referred to in the answer of 23 October 2007,  Official Report, column 223W, on Departments: official hospitality, to provide the amount spent on each function at which hospitality expenses were incurred.

Gareth Thomas: The total spend on entertainment within administration cost budgets in the last 12 months was £245,500. This represents 0.1 per cent. of the administration budget and 0.005 per cent. of the total net resource provision based on the current year estimates for 2007-08. This figure includes working breakfasts and lunches, refreshments at meetings and official entertainment.
	It is not possible to break down our costs for official hospitality to provide the amounts spent on each function, without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	All entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of climate change on people in developing countries;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of those developing countries that are at risk from the effects of climate change; which of those countries he considers to be most at risk; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recently launched its fourth assessment report, to which the UK provides financial and scientific support. This concludes that the countries most at risk from climate change are those in the seven mega-deltas in Asia, semi-arid areas of Africa and low-lying coastal urban areas, as well as small-island developing states.
	The IPCC also assesses the effects of climate change on people in developing countries. Of greatest concern are predictions of reduced rainfall in already dry areas, leading to a shorter growing season for farmers. Elsewhere declining glacier cover will affect freshwater availability for more than one-sixth of the world's population.
	DFID has undertaken its own climate risk assessments in Bangladesh, China, India, and Kenya. One conclusion is that the early effects of climate change are extremes of drought and rainfall. These are having a direct impact on low-income farmers, and putting people at greater risk from floods and tropical cyclones. DFID is providing 24 million of research funding to the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa programme to better understand these impacts. DFID is also working with the World Bank on producing an index of climate vulnerability.

Overseas Aid: Accountancy

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons he decided to transfer overseas costs from the administration resource budget to the programme budget.

Douglas Alexander: Costs of programme delivery staff (not including support staff) overseas have been transferred to programme budgets in the comprehensive spending review (CSR) period because DFID and HM Treasury have agreed that they should be regarded as front-line service costs. Under the Treasury's Consolidated Budgeting Guidance (paragraph 4.3) such costs are included in programme rather than administration budgets.

Reconstruction

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether an assessment has been made of the merits of provincial reconstruction teams.

Gareth Thomas: A number of assessments have been made of the merits of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). These include a USAID report: 'Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: An Interagency Assessment' (June 2006) and a United States Institute of Peace report: 'The US Experience of PRTs in Afghanistan' (Oct 2005). Also in 2005 DFID funded a King's College review of DFID involvement in PRTs in Afghanistan. The UK assesses the merits of work performed by the UK-led PRT in Helmand, Afghanistan on a regular basis.
	PRTs vary in size and composition, and operate differently depending on the security situation. The UK has spent some 8 million implementing over 170 Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) through the PRT in Helmand since July 2006. These projects support the Government of Afghanistan in response to identified local needs, and have supported our efforts in the areas of security, governance, social and economic development, and counter-narcotics.

Sierra Leone: Overseas Aid

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial aid was given to Sierra Leone in  (a) 2002 and  (b) each subsequent year.

Gareth Thomas: Information on UK aid to Sierra Leone is available in the DFID publication 'Statistics on International Development 2007'. This publication is available online at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk.
	Relevant figures are reproduced in the table as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: UK Total gross public expenditure and financial aid 2002-03 to 2006-07, ( thousand) 
			  000 
			   Total bilateral gross public expenditure (GPEX) to Sierra Leone  Of which:  Financial aid to Sierra Leone 
			 2002-03 32,190 11,566 
			 2003-04 34,280 13,419 
			 2004-05 27,431 13,408 
			 2005-06 34,208 16,741 
			 2006-07 37,696 13,287 
		
	
	The non-financial aid element of GPEX is made up of technical assistance, humanitarian assistance, debt relief, other DFID bilateral aid and aid from other official UK sources. The imputed share of UK multilateral Official Development Assistance between 2001 and 2005 can be seen in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 2: Imputed UK Share of Multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) 2001-05 
			   Sierra Leone  (000) 
			 2001 12,030 
			 2002 4,294 
			 2003 6,849 
			 2004 9,120 
			 2005 11,736

Planning: West Northamptonshire Development Corporation

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what scrutiny her Department has undertaken of planning decisions made by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation in the last 12 months; and what the results of that scrutiny were.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Secretary of State determines a small number of planning applications each year under 'call in' and 'recovered appeal' procedures. There have been no such cases involving a decision by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation since its development control powers came into effect in April 2006.
	Six appeals involving refusal to grant planning permission by the corporation in the period since April 2006 have been determined by Inspectors appointed by the Secretary of State. Details can be provided on request.

Regional Planning and Development: South East Region

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for ratification of the South East Regional Spatial Strategy; and what plans there are for subsequent reviews of it.

Parmjit Dhanda: Consultation on the Secretary of State's Proposed Changes for the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the South East (The South East Plan) is likely to take place early in 2008, followed by publication of the final RSS later that year.
	The Independent Panel that conducted the Examination in Public of the draft RSS has made recommendations regarding reviews of several parts of the Strategy. Those recommendations are currently being considered, and any reviews will be identified as part of the Secretary of State's Proposed Changes.

Travelling People

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to review legislation on itinerant travellers.

Iain Wright: The Government's Task Group on Site Provision and Enforcement has reviewed the operation of powers for dealing with unauthorised encampments (where Gypsies and Travellers camp on land they do not own) and taken evidence from local authorities and others. The group concluded in its interim report that, rather than making changes to these powers, help should be provided to ensure they are used more effectively. We will be working with the Local Government Association and Improvement and Development Association to achieve this.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has given to  (a) regional planning bodies and  (b) local authorities on planning for more traveller sites.

Iain Wright: The Government's statutory and policy framework on the provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites is set out in circular ODPM 1/06 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Sites, published in February 2006. This is accompanied by guidance on Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments (final version published October 2007).
	The Department has also provided guidance to  (a) Regional Planning Bodies Preparing Regional Spatial Strategy reviews on Gypsies and Travellers by regional planning bodies, which proposes a methodology for identifying pitch requirement at regional level based on Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments; and draft guidance to  (b) local authorities on Gypsy and Traveller site design and management.
	These publications can all be found on the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk.

Travelling People: Ireland

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of recent changes in factors affecting the number of itinerant travellers coming to Britain from Ireland.

Iain Wright: A common travel area is in place between the United Kingdom and Ireland, and therefore no record is kept of the movement of particular ethnic groups between the two countries.
	Communities and Local Government publish data twice yearly on the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England. Recent data do not indicate any unexpected or unexplained increases in the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans.